1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing catamenial and tampon devices and, in particular, to a method which completely simplifies the conventional way of making an odor absorbent tampon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The assignee, as well as a number of other makers of catamenial or tampon devices, currently market such devices which achieve odor adsorbency in non-deodorant catamenials or tampons. However, such adsorbency is typically provided by a strip comprising an odor adsorbing material adhered to a non-woven material with an acrylic binder. The odor adsorbent strip is fed into the tampon forming machine along with rayon pads. The pads and strip are then formed into the tampon pledget. Alternately, the odor adsorbing material is mixed with water (a suspension aid, e.g., Veegum may be used) and added as a slurry directly to the rayon pads prior to their formation into the tampon pledget.
It will be manifest to those skilled in this art that the addition of the odor adsorbent strip, as described, is costly. A less costly alternative to the addition of a strip is to apply the odor adsorbent material, for example, as a powder or in a slurry, directly to the tampon. However, this and similar lower cost alternatives are technically more difficult since they involve additional steps in the tampon forming process and have the potential for leaving residue that would accumulate on the tampon forming equipment.
What has been discovered or recognized is that the technically difficult and problematic techniques, which are currently followed as possible alternatives for the addition of the odor adsorbent strip, can be avoided by adopting a more efficient method.
As background for an understanding and appreciation of the present invention, reference may be made to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,222,857; 3,339,357; 3,479,811; and 5,460,881. Although these relate in general to processes and apparatus for producing impregnated fiber materials of one kind or another, they fail to recognize what is inherent in the concept of the present invention; that a significant advantage is obtained by uniquely combining with the usual steps involved in producing a catamenial/tampon device, the step, at the beginning of the process, of embedding the odor adsorbent material in the matrix fibers while these fibers are being formed or processed. In other words, prior to the actual formation or fabrication of the tampon pledget, the odor adsorbent material is placed or merged in the pledget""s fibers.
A substantial benefit that results from the unique step described is that there is uniform distribution of the adsorbent within the finished catamenial/tampon product. This result contrasts sharply with that obtained by use of conventional processes.
It is an object of the present invention to simplify the process or method of making an odor adsorbent tampon.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a process or method where one or more finely divided odor adsorbent materials, whether in particulate or liquid form, are incorporated directly into the fibers during the process of forming such fibers.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a process or method where the fibers having the one or more odor adsorbent materials are subsequently used to form a catamenial/tampon device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a process or method where the one or more odor adsorbent materials is in liquid form.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such a process or method where the one or more odor adsorbent materials is naturally sourced.
The fundamental features of the present invention reside in a method of manufacturing a catamenial/tampon device and the product produced by that method. The method, briefly stated, includes the steps of forming a plurality of fibers, preferably by extrusion, and impregnating or urging into or inserting into the interstices of the fibers, one or more odor adsorbent materials while the process of forming the fibers is being performed. Thereafter, the plurality of fibers so formed are suitably and conventionally brought together to produce the finished device. Preferably, the one or more odor adsorbent materials is in liquid form and/or is naturally sourced.
Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein like parts have been given like numbers.